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Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT but I do own my OC Joan.
What I never told you
The Red Stripes
Michelangelo Davis sprinted and leapt over the rooftops of New York City- his home since he was born. The always noisy city was as busy as ever with honking cars, chattering people and stray animals.
Mikey skilfully landed on a rooftop with a small splash. Finding the roof he had just escaped from, Mikey crouched behind a vent. He kept himself hidden from the gangs' view while he peered out. The blond could just see Leo in the constantly moving mass of gang members, swinging his arms and legs in coordinated movements to block the attacks and to deliver his own.
Surveying the area, Mikey searched for anything that could assist him in helping his friend. Something shining in the winter sun, just a few meters from his hiding spot, caught Mikey's eye so he crawled over to investigate. It was a partly rusted chain that must have broken off something recently.
"Bingo!" Mikey whispered to himself, picking up the cold chain and stepped to the edge of the roof.
The fight down below was still going as every time Leo knocked a gang member down, another one took their place. Even with all the attacks Leo was delivering, only about one of the gang members had gone down and stayed down. Leo was so focused on the members that he lost track of the leader.
But Mikey didn't!
Michelangelo ran faster than he had ever ran before. He had eyes on the leader and feared that he would not reach them in time. Swinging the chain at his side, Mikey picked up some more speed. He threw the chain forward just as the Sai was descending…
Donatello stood in the bedroom felling incredibly awkward being in a stranger's apartment all by himself. He wanted to have a look around but was worried about damaging or touching something he shouldn't. Back home several rooms were off limits to him, it might be the same here.
Timidly shuffling to the door, Don peeked out before slipping through the crack. He strolled around the room and occasionally ran his gentle fingers over the surface of objects and furniture. Donnie found the couch a point of interest. The fabric was much rougher and no where near as soft as the couches at the Carpenter Estate and when Don lightly sat on it, he found the springs uncomfortable.
"I never realised just how luxurious the estate is." The teenager mumbled, shuffling around to try and find a comfortable position, "I won't complain about the chairs again because man… this is uncomfortable."
Don rolled to the side, not realising just how close to the edge he was and promptly slipped off. Groaning in pain, Don noticed something tucked under the couch and raising up on one arm, he dragged it out.
Once in a sitting position, the genius opened the laptop and pressed the power button only to find that it wouldn't turn on. Donatello closed it back up and flipped it over before removing the panel with his miniature screwdriver. He fiddled with a few wires then screwed the panel back on. The teenager pressed the button again and this time the screen lit up with the laptops company logo.
Don almost dropped the laptop when something hard whacked him around the head. It wasn't hard enough to knock him out, but it did make him see stars. He crawled to the edge of the room cradling his throbbing head just missing a few other swings.
"Who are you and why are you in my house?" The attacker demanded taking another swing with the wooden bat.
Raising his arms in defence, Donnie quickly answered, "My name is Donatello Carpenter, son of the inventor of C-technology." He hated using the name card, but he figured that he had no choice in this situation. If it made the crazy lady stop trying to kill him, he could live with it.
"Donatello Carpenter…" The woman echoed in disbelief.
Like she had just been slapped round the face, the woman dropped the bat and started helping a dazed Don to the couch, "I thought you were an intruder. How did you get in here anyway?"
"Mikey," Don breathed, "he brought me here after we escaped the gang that was chasing me. Leo- I believe that is what Mikey called him- fought them off while your son helped me escape."
Joan handed Don a cool glass of water, "Actually he is my grandson, but I will take that as a compliment. My daughter got pregnant with Michelangelo when she was 16 after her boyfriend at the time forgot to check the protection. He walked out on her as soon as he found out." She sighed, taking a sip of her tea.
"It seems like Mikey is lucky to have you as a grandmother. All my grandparents were either dead before I was born or died when I was still a baby, so I don't remember them." Donatello explained, gently running his hand through his light brown hair, "Father won't even tell me about them."
"And everyone knows what happened to your mother." The elderly woman placed a manicured hand on the teenager's shoulder and gave Don a warm smile.
The chain wrapped around the leader's wrist and with a yank from Mikey, the Sai was pulled off target. The weapon scrapped Leo's arm. The distraction gave the Japanese teen an opening to punch the man in the face which caused him to stumble backwards. Mikey closed the distance and delivered a perfect roundhouse kick to the leader's already beat up face. Seeing their best fighter on the ground and noticing that their target was no longer around, the gang took off across the rooftops.
"You ok dude?" asked Mikey, examining Leo's injuries carefully.
Applying pressure to the deep cut on his arm with the handkerchief he hated carrying around but did so just for situations like this one, Leo reassured the younger teen, "Just cuts and bruises. I have had much worse."
Mikey assisted Leo in tying the handkerchief around the wound as a makeshift bandage before grabbing his good arm. The blond dragged Leo to the edge of the roof and together they climbed down the fire escape.
Once safely on the ground, Leo's exhausted legs buckled beneath him and he would have landed hard on the ground if Mikey hadn't grabbed him in time. The shorter teen wrapped his arm around Leo's waist and got the Japanese teen to lean on him as they slowly strolled back home. They had to stop every now and then to let the vertigo that Leo was having pass.
Eventually, the duo reached the front door of the Davis' apartment. Mikey used his key to unlock the door only to find it already open and two voices drifting out from within. Leo swung the door open, shuffling in with Mikey still supporting him.
"Oh, my dear," Joan assisted her grandson in settling Leo on the couch where she had just been sitting, "What happened to you?"
"Gang…" Leo slurred, shifting to a more comfortable position.
Don gulped at the mention of his chasers, trying not to imagine what they would have done to him if the kind strangers had stepped in.
"Sit still so that I can check your wounds." The genius commanded, removing the make shift bandage, "It's not deep enough for you to need stitches but I recommend that you go easy with your arm for the next few days."
"I don't think…I'm going to be doing much…for the next few- OW!" Leo squealed when Donnie started cleaning his wounds, "Donatello-"
Don interrupted him, "Don or Donnie."
Breathing heavily, Leo continued, "Don that hurts."
"You were attacked by an armed gang and you fought them off with your bare hands, yet you find having your own wounds treated more painful." Donnie smirked, causing Mikey and Joan to chuckle, "Stop complaining will you."
The chocolate eyed teenager finished cleaning Leo's wounds and using the supplies in the first aid kit, he dressed the bleeding laceration on Leo's arm. Donnie wrapped the gauze around the limb to secure the dressing pad before moving on to the smaller cuts and bruises.
"Who were those guys?" questioned Leo breathlessly, flinching in pain, "I know I haven't been in America for long… but that gang seemed different… to the ones I have seen hanging around… These guys were more tactical and… skilful."
"Don't forget the accents." Mikey added from his position on the floor, "It was like get 'em and pound de 'eads in."
"Brooklyn accent." Don supplied, "They all had Brooklyn accents."
"Hmmm…" Joan thought, "There are many small gangs that are based in Brooklyn but like the Purple Dragons being the main gang here in Manhattan, Brooklyn has their own. By any chance were these members wearing black garments with something red like a scarf or-"
"BANDANAS!" The three teens shrieked in realisation.
After a moment of silence, it was Donnie that broke it, "I knew I recognised their style. I believe they call themselves The Red Stripes."
Joan nodded while, "Indeed. They are extremely deadly and stealthy. Most of their victims were due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time." She patted Leo's knee from where she perched on the edge of the couch, "I am glad you boys escaped alive. Now if you will excuse me, I need to call someone's father."
Leo groaned and dramatically threw his head back against the cushions, "Can't we keep this…quiet?"
"Nice try Leonardo, nice try." Joan replied before leaving the room to call Yoshi who had gone out for the day.
"My father…is going to…kill me." Leo quietly moaned before coughing heavily into his arm.
The smartest teenager of the group commented while he packed away the medical supplies into the first aid kit, "I'm sure he wouldn't do that, after all he is your father and he loves you."
"AWWW how sweet." Teased Mikey, rolling away when the Japanese teenager threw a pillow at him. He giggled and threw the cushion back. The room quickly filled with giggles and flying pillows.
The fun came to a sudden halt when Leo doubled over and started harshly hacking into his arm. Mikey grabbed him a cool glass of water and thankfully Leo was able to stop coughing enough to take a few sips, but it did nothing to help him get his breathing under control.
"Deep breaths Leo." Don instructed as he helped the wheezing teen to sit up.
Pointing at the front door, Leo wheezed out, "Bed… room, top… top drawer…" Leo had to stop for a minute due to the coughing. Once he the coughs died down, he finished his sentence, "Blue… p…pouch."
Donatello didn't understand what Leo was telling them but Mikey, having known the Asian teen for longer, did. The blond dashed out of his home and across the hall, within seconds he had unlocked the Hamato's apartment with the spare key and was rummaging through the top drawer of Leo's bedside table. He found the light blue pouch tucked at the back with some stationary, he grabbed it and sprinted back.
"Got it!" Mikey yelled, tossing the bag to Don who caught it with ease.
Loosening the top, Don peeked in and pulled the small device out. He handed it to Leo who has leaning against the genius's chest for support. Gratefully Leo took the inhaler and inhaled the medicine. After the second puff, the wheezing had died down and the tightness in Leo's chest had gone, letting him take deep breaths.
"Deep breathes..." Don kept instructing, still supporting Leo from behind. Leo relaxed against the taller teen and closed his eyes to focus on his breathing.
A few more breaths later, Leo hoarsely spoke, "I haven't had one of those since I was 6 years old. That was 9 years ago now."
"Dude… Why didn't you tell me you were asthmatic?" Asked Mikey with a slight whine in his voice, "I've known you for two weeks now, you could have told me."
"And I wander what caused it this time." Donnie wondered, shifting so that the Asian could sit normally, "Could be because of the fighting or running…"
"It's the cold," Leo corrected, "I think. I left my coat back at school so combine the cold with all the exercise and you get the perfect conditions for an asthma attack."
Gently slapping Leonardo's hand, Joan (who had returned after her phone call just after the attack) scolded the boy, "Tell us before it gets that bad next time. Understand young man?"
"Hai Jo-san." Leo would have bowed respectfully if his body wasn't already aching, "Normally I have one with me but it's currently in my rucksack-"
"Which you left at school along with mine." Mikey finished, "My glorious comic books were in there. Now their gone, ruined by the doofus' in school."
"They will be fine Jelly Bean. Your school called to let me know that you hadn't turned up for two periods and that your bag was found in the canteen. They're keeping yours and Leonardo's safe in the office until you return." The elder explained.
"And Leonardo," Sapphire blue eyes met Joan's baby blue eyes, "Your father will be home shortly. He said that he wanted to take you down to the hospital to get checked out but if you ask me this fine young lad has done a perfect job."
Don shyly smiled, "Thank you ma'am."
Holding up a finger, Joan shushed the tallest teenager, "It's Joan or Jo. There is no need for ma'am in this family."
"Well…um… Thank you Joan." Donnie spoke, "I have had first aid training but that's it. Leo only has minor wounds- thankful- so you can tell his father that he doesn't need to go to the hospital unless he gets drastically worse."
"Yokatta," The Japanese teen sighed, "Watashi wa byōin ga kirai."
Without fully realising what he was hearing, Donnie replied, "Hospitals aren't that bad Leo. Doctors are usually quite friendly, and they know what they are doing so you don't have to worry about that. Thou, to be fair, I have never needed to be admitted to hospital."
Joan, Mikey and Leo stared at the genius in surprise. Leo had been talking in Japanese and yet Don was able to understand him.
"What?" Timidly asked Don, watching the three pairs of eyes that were fixed on him and blinking in sync, "Do I have something on my face?"
"You know Japanese?" Leo inquired, tempted to ask him in Japanese but chose to keep speaking in English. That way the Davis' weren't being left out.
What Leo had said before hit Don like a huge tidal wave, "I do. Father believes it is best to learn as many languages as possible so that when I take over his company, I can expand keep expanding and making deals with foreign countries and companies."
Smirking, Don added, "I can speak Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish and Latin fluently and I am in the prosses of learning Italian and German."
"We should call you Global Genius Guy!" Mikey announced, jumping up from his sitting position on the floor, "The man who can speak to everyone!"
"Uhh…" Hesitated Donnie because he was still getting used to Mikey and his enthusiasm, "It's called multilingualism and I am not the only person who knows multiple languages Mikey. I know several of C-Tech's employers do."
Mikey completely ignored Don's information and shouted, "GLOBAL GENIUS GUY!"
Leo leaned over and whispered in Don's ear, "Don't worry, he is always like this."
"He has been since he was born." Joan told the teenagers, "Michelangelo was a wild, energetic and loud toddler and he didn't lose any of that as he grew into an adventurous child and he is still like that as an adorable teenager. He will never change."
Leo and Don chuckled as they watched Mikey bounce around the kitchen, searching for ingredients that Joan asked for to cook a late lunch.
"Will you boys be joining us?" the elderly lady asked.
"If it's not a bother, then yes please." Don politely answered, assisting the shortest teen in getting down a jar of tomato sauce from a high shelf. He handed it to Mikey who was pouting.
"Quit pouting Michelangelo, Donatello was just giving you a hand." Joan softly commanded while she put a pot of water on the stove to boil, "What about you Leonardo?"
"I don't think I am going to be moving all that soon if I am honest." Leo said as he rolled his shoulders. He didn't like admitting it, but everything ached.
Everything ached. Raphael was doing his best not to have an obvious limp as he walked through the halls of the grand church. The rest of the gang followed behind, letting their leader take control- and any punishment they may receive for their failure.
The stoic gang entered the main chamber and bowed at the foot of the steps that lead to where a man was seated. Dark eyes glared daggers at the tops of their heads from behind a metal mask. The man rose, pure power, strength and anger radiating from him as he proudly strode down the steps, stopping in front of the gang leader.
"You failed." The man in armour stated, unsheathing his hidden blades. Raphael felt the coldness of the blades as they ghostly traced the back of his neck, "You promised me that The Red Stripes where deadly assassins. You are nothing but a group of inexperienced children."
"Master, we did not expect him to be with anyone, especially not someone with such talent." Raphael boldly explained, not daring to raise his head, "He had skills, I have never seen before. But I assure you next time-"
Blades swung under the leader's chin, causing him to tilt his head up to look at his master, "Who was this person who beat you?"
"He never said his name Master."
"Who?" The man coldly demanded, applying pressure to the blades which pushed more into Raphael's flesh.
"He was Asian, had blue eyes and brown hair." Raphael replied, "He also had a scar under his right eye."
The man removed his blades and Raphael instantly lowered his head again, "Leave." The Red Stripes wasted no time in backing out of the chamber and disappearing back into the night.
Ignoring the questioning looks from his own followers, the armoured man stared out the window. He couldn't believe it, after all these years, the boy he had been searching for had finally returned.
"You may be skilled boy, but you are still young. You have not had the experience my ninja's have had." Darkly chuckling, the man pulled a faded picture of a young boy out of his belt, "You took the love of my life from me brother, now I will finally get my revenge. Say goodbye to your precious son Yoshi, because soon he will be no more." He dropped the photograph in a nearby flame and smirked as he watched it burn, "Sayōnara Hamato Leonardo."
Translations (From Google Translate):
Yokatta- Thank goodness
Watashi wa byōin ga kirai- I hate hospitals
Sayōnara- Goodbye
